Post on 09-Jan-2016
description
Introducing an Integrated Marine Observing System for Australia (IMOS)
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Gary Meyers (IMOS Director) and John Middleton (SAIMOS)
IMOS Strategic GoalAssemble and provide free, open and timely access to streams of data that support research on• The role of the oceans in the climate system• The interaction between major boundary currents and shelf environments and ecosystems
And in the longer term• Supports policy development, management of marine and terrestrial climate impacts and adaptation by industries
IMOS Funding:
• $50M cash from Commonwealth
• Additional $40M cash and in-kind support from marine agencies around Australia
IMOS Development:
• National Science Plan priorities workshopped in 2006
• Local science plans (with equipment needs) developed
• Envelopes for equipment allocations developed
• Agreement of who runs what facilities and what “nodes” are allocated facilities.
• Plan strongly supported and funded by Aust. Govt. National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy
IMOS—5 Nodes and 11 FacilitiesGoals: onshore-offshore interaction, climate impacts
GBROOS
NSWIMOSSAIMOS
WAIMOS
Water depth 110 m
ADCP
Met Station
Communications via acoustic modem
National Reference Stations
Key components:Real Time Data sent via satellite 2x CTDs1x ADCP (SAIMOS, NSWIMOS only)1x Surface Meteorological Station
Reference Stations
RS
RS
National Reference Station - Monthly Biogeochemical Sampling
1. Carbon Parameters: Dissolved Inorganic Carbon, Alkalinity
2. Hydrochemical parameters: Nitrate/nitrite, silicate,phosphate, salinity
3. Biological parameters: Phytoplankton: pigment composition, microscopy, genetic composition, total suspended solids
Flow cytometry (population size, physical and chemical composition)
Zooplankton: dry Weights, community composition, genetic composition
4. Physical/profiling instrument measurements: CTD with capabilities for:
Temperature, Pressure (depths), Conductivity, Fluorescence, Light (PAR), Turbidity, Dissolved Oxygen
Aust. Coastal Ocean RADAR Network – six systems (WERA&CODAR)
WERA Installation
Radar is back reflected by ocean waves. The Doppler shift in Radar frequencies enables surface currents and other variables to be measured.
Live current measurements every 30 minutes from the WERA system off South Carolina (US).
Strong North-East Velocities associated with the Gulf Stream are clearly visible
Note: range is better during day
HF Ocean RADAR Example From South Carolina
Aust. National Facility for Ocean Gliders
8 gliders (Slocum and deep)
Glider Cross-Section: Temperature Off Perth
Play Movie
Other IMOS observing systemsPassive acoustic listening for sea-floor slumps, Antarctic Ice collapse and marine mammals using hydrophones
AUV (hulls removed) for sea floor video and mapping
Pygmy Whale singing off Perth
Tagged Fish: AATAMS and community receivers
Moorings detect tagged fish < 1km
6 month service to obtain data
SAIMOS
Glenelg 10 moorings
Portland 31 moorings
Bluewater Node:
Major research questions:• What is the role of the ocean in weather, climate variability and change?
• What role does the ocean play in setting atmospheric carbon levels?
• Where and how does ocean and climate variability impact on pelagic ecosystems, their productivity and fisheries?
• How do large-scale offshore changes affect our coastal environment and ecosystems?
• Is there predictability in the system and where? On what timescales?
Tools
• ARGO Floats
• Ships of Opportunity
• Satellites
• S.O. Mooring
IMOS Argo
• 50 T/S Argo floats per year (assuming a continuation of existing contributions from AGO, CSIRO and BoM)
Implementation
Jurien Bay
Perth Canyon Rottnest
Island
0 200km
West Australian IMOS
• Leeuwin Current eddies and their interaction with the shelf waters.
• Western Rock lobster recruitment• The Perth Canyon – highest biodiversity with whale
and fish aggregations, high primary and secondary production which are controlled by the physical oceanographic processes Leeuwin Current
Leeuwin UC
• Summer:
• Upwelling - Deep cold, water is brought to surface
• Mechanisms: winds
• canyons
• Flinders Current
• Winter:
• Density current outflows from gulfs and coast
Sea Surface Temperature from satellite measurements
Southern Australian IMOS- cross shelf exchange/ecosystems
Planned Planned SAIMOS SAIMOS Infrastructure:Infrastructure:
Shelf/Slope Moorings
Reference Station
• CTD Stations
HF Radar
PLUS
• Gliders
• Fish tag curtains
• AUVs
NSW IMOS – The EAC and upwelling:
Oke & Middleton 02
Climate change (East Coast, Tasmania) …
Mean surface salinity (ppt)After Hill et al. 2007
Me
an
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a su
rfa
ce te
mpe
ratu
re (
deg
C)
Great Great Barrier Barrier Reef Reef Ocean Ocean ObservinObserving Systemg System
GBROOSGBROOS
Issues for GBR function and healthIssues for GBR function and health
Connectivity (currents)Connectivity (currents)Productivity (upwelling)Productivity (upwelling)Coral bleaching (temperature)Coral bleaching (temperature)Coral calcification (carbonate chemistry)Coral calcification (carbonate chemistry)
SEC
EAC
SEC
SEC = South Equatorial Current
EAC = East Australian Current
Coral Sea mooring (1)
Slope moorings (4)
Shelf mooring (1)
Oceanographic buoys (3)
Island Research Stations (4)
Reef towers (3)
HF Radar
Temp/Salinity
Flow
Light & heat fluxes
Chlorophyll
Turbidity
Particulate carbon
Local variables (sensor networks)
AA
R
G
Planned IMOS Coastal Deployments